HELP! Super BS for the CFO Certificate for marriage in PI!

[Rahstyles 10]

Okay so heres the situation.. My wife is trying to apply for a new passport cause she lost it and plus shes ttrying to add her new married name to the passport. We had all the docs ready the nbi and aff of los and all that Then the agency told us we need a CFO certificate..

and im like "what the heck is a CFO certificate" The philipines has too many rules and too much paperwork i swear!!

I found out she has to take a senimar class from 2 to 5pm in either manila or cebu and its first com first serve.

WEll my wife unfortunatly she has no car and she does not work and she is raising my step daugther by herself and she lives nowhere near cebu or manila. She lives in the provence surrounded by grass. Now! She lives in the negros and the clossest place would be cebu but she would have to go on massive bus rides and boat rides to get to cebu and she has to make it there before 2pm and its a first come first serve.. she has nobody she can go with and she knows nobody in cebu.

I am worried out of my mind!!! Theres no way she can leave our dauugther and or better yet take her with her... It is far to dangerous and im worried about her traveling all that way by herself. My job also does not allow me to just up and leave to the philipines when i want... Next time i see her ill be there maybe in july or aug. But She needs her passport for the cr1 visa.

This is redicoulous.. she can travel as far as BAcolod which is a major city but she still lives 3 hours away from that.. Cebu is wayyyy father and she has to either take a plane or a boat!

Sombody please help! I need CFO

[storminnorman 9]

Okay so heres the situation.. My wife is trying to apply for a new passport cause she lost it and plus shes ttrying to add her new married name to the passport. We had all the docs ready the nbi and aff of los and all that Then the agency told us we need a CFO certificate..

and im like "what the heck is a CFO certificate" The philipines has too many rules and too much paperwork i swear!!

I found out she has to take a senimar class from 2 to 5pm in either manila or cebu and its first com first serve.

WEll my wife unfortunatly she has no car and she does not work and she is raising my step daugther by herself and she lives nowhere near cebu or manila. She lives in the provence surrounded by grass. Now! She lives in the negros and the clossest place would be cebu but she would have to go on massive bus rides and boat rides to get to cebu and she has to make it there before 2pm and its a first come first serve.. she has nobody she can go with and she knows nobody in cebu.

I am worried out of my mind!!! Theres no way she can leave our dauugther and or better yet take her with her... It is far to dangerous and im worried about her traveling all that way by herself. My job also does not allow me to just up and leave to the philipines when i want... Next time i see her ill be there maybe in july or aug. But She needs her passport for the cr1 visa.

This is redicoulous.. she can travel as far as BAcolod which is a major city but she still lives 3 hours away from that.. Cebu is wayyyy father and she has to either take a plane or a boat!

Sombody please help! I need CFO

Where is your wife now? negros? well, I live in Lapu-lapu and close to Cebu. I can go with her during her seminar. I am pinay who are also waiting for our NOA2 for k-1 visa...We filed the papers last September of 2012. You can contact me anytime in this phone numbers: 09182855153/4950947.. I am willing to help your wife to get her CFO...thank you and god bless.

[admortemfidelis 0]

Okay so heres the situation.. My wife is trying to apply for a new passport cause she lost it and plus shes ttrying to add her new married name to the passport. We had all the docs ready the nbi and aff of los and all that Then the agency told us we need a CFO certificate..

and im like "what the heck is a CFO certificate" The philipines has too many rules and too much paperwork i swear!!

I found out she has to take a senimar class from 2 to 5pm in either manila or cebu and its first com first serve.

WEll my wife unfortunatly she has no car and she does not work and she is raising my step daugther by herself and she lives nowhere near cebu or manila. She lives in the provence surrounded by grass. Now! She lives in the negros and the clossest place would be cebu but she would have to go on massive bus rides and boat rides to get to cebu and she has to make it there before 2pm and its a first come first serve.. she has nobody she can go with and she knows nobody in cebu.

I am worried out of my mind!!! Theres no way she can leave our dauugther and or better yet take her with her... It is far to dangerous and im worried about her traveling all that way by herself. My job also does not allow me to just up and leave to the philipines when i want... Next time i see her ill be there maybe in july or aug. But She needs her passport for the cr1 visa.

This is redicoulous.. she can travel as far as BAcolod which is a major city but she still lives 3 hours away from that.. Cebu is wayyyy father and she has to either take a plane or a boat!

Sombody please help! I need CFO

hi. May I ask which agency looked for the CFO certificate? is she applying for a passport for the first time? or is she just renewing her old passport to add her married name? because if its just a simple renewal, she doesnt need the CFO certificate. The CFO is only required when you are about to leave the PI already like when your CR1 Visa was already approved. No spouse or fiance is allowed to leave the country without taking the CFO seminar. They put a sticker/stamp on your visa once you finished the seminar. Best way to take it, is when the embassy already returned her passport with her visa. So she doesnt need to go back to where she attended the CFO to have her visa stamped. Again. CFO isnt required for applying for a passport. Her Birth certificate, marriage contract and a valid i.d will do. It's also better if she applies for the passport directly to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)

Edited March 1, 2013 by admortemfidelis

[Caryh 5,206]

hi. May I ask which agency looked for the CFO certificate? is she applying for a passport for the first time? or is she just renewing her old passport to add her married name? because if its just a simple renewal, she doesnt need the CFO certificate. The CFO is only required when you are about to leave the PI already like when your CR1 Visa was already approved. No spouse or fiance is allowed to leave the country without taking the CFO seminar. They put a sticker/stamp on your visa once you finished the seminar. Best way to take it, is when the embassy already returned her passport with her visa. So she doesnt need to go back to where she attended the CFO to have her visa stamped. Again. CFO isnt required for applying for a passport. Her Birth certificate, marriage contract and a valid i.d will do. It's also better if she applies for the passport directly to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)

You now need the CFO if you're married to a foreigner and applying for or renewing a passport. I'm not sure why, maybe they thought some were sneaking out without going through the CFO, or its assumed you will be leaving because you're getting a passport.

"As Filipinos going abroad as fiancé(e)s, spouses or other partners of foreign nationals, you are required to attend the CFO's guidance and counseling session in order to secure the Guidance and Counseling Certificate (GCC) and the CFO sticker. You need this certificate to renew or apply for a new passport at the Department of Foreign Affairs (per Department of Foreign Affairs Order Nos. 11-97 Implementing Rules and Regulations for Republic Act 8239, "Philippine Passport Act" and 28-94). "

[prettyme307 0]

Okay so heres the situation.. My wife is trying to apply for a new passport cause she lost it and plus shes ttrying to add her new married name to the passport. We had all the docs ready the nbi and aff of los and all that Then the agency told us we need a CFO certificate..

and im like "what the heck is a CFO certificate" The philipines has too many rules and too much paperwork i swear!!

I found out she has to take a senimar class from 2 to 5pm in either manila or cebu and its first com first serve.

WEll my wife unfortunatly she has no car and she does not work and she is raising my step daugther by herself and she lives nowhere near cebu or manila. She lives in the provence surrounded by grass. Now! She lives in the negros and the clossest place would be cebu but she would have to go on massive bus rides and boat rides to get to cebu and she has to make it there before 2pm and its a first come first serve.. she has nobody she can go with and she knows nobody in cebu.

I am worried out of my mind!!! Theres no way she can leave our dauugther and or better yet take her with her... It is far to dangerous and im worried about her traveling all that way by herself. My job also does not allow me to just up and leave to the philipines when i want... Next time i see her ill be there maybe in july or aug. But She needs her passport for the cr1 visa.

This is redicoulous.. she can travel as far as BAcolod which is a major city but she still lives 3 hours away from that.. Cebu is wayyyy father and she has to either take a plane or a boat!

Sombody please help! I need CFO

Edited March 1, 2013 by prettyme307

[Hank_ 9,174]

CFO will get you no matter what as she will need a sticker from CFO in her passport (once she has her visa) to get on the airplane.

CFO:

ALL exiting required to attend. There have been changes regarding CFO so for sure read through their website.

Update: Please check the schedule of the counseling session before proceeding to CFO because it is country-specific and the slots are limited only to 15 per session (two sessions per day) for Manila and 12 per session (only one session a day) for Cebu. It is on a first-come-first-serve basis.

CFO Online Registration Form: http://www.cfo.gov.ph/pdf/downloadable%20forms/registrationform.pdf Complete this and print a couple copies to bring to the CFO seminar, it will save you time.

http://www.philembassy.no/sites/default/files/downloads/new_gcp_flyer.pdf

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1348:fiancee-spouses-and-other-partners-of-foreign-nationals&catid=140

Required documents & "OTHER DOCUMENTS" they ask for at CFO: copies of; CENOMAR (CEMAR and marriage certificate if married), certified birth certificate, bio page of passport, visa page from passport, pictures together. From USC (copies of) - bio page of passport, birth certificate, divorce decree (if been married before) are the most common requests. The "other documents" clause can be ANYTHING with those nit-wits at CFO.

** From the Family Code of the Philippines: it's 21-25 years old for advice and 18-21 years old for consent. (Some are posted on VJ that they were not asked for this, yet others have been asked, so be prepared)

[biaobiao 40]

oh yeah... that cfo is really bothering...

i was told that i need a cfo too.. my case is that i had my marriage reported abroad and had my passport stamp that i am married to my husband and i can use his name...

i am in MINDANAO...

[Rahstyles 10]

CFO will get you no matter what as she will need a sticker from CFO in her passport (once she has her visa) to get on the airplane.

CFO:

ALL exiting required to attend. There have been changes regarding CFO so for sure read through their website.

Update: Please check the schedule of the counseling session before proceeding to CFO because it is country-specific and the slots are limited only to 15 per session (two sessions per day) for Manila and 12 per session (only one session a day) for Cebu. It is on a first-come-first-serve basis.

CFO Online Registration Form: http://www.cfo.gov.ph/pdf/downloadable%20forms/registrationform.pdf Complete this and print a couple copies to bring to the CFO seminar, it will save you time.

http://www.philembassy.no/sites/default/files/downloads/new_gcp_flyer.pdf

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1348:fiancee-spouses-and-other-partners-of-foreign-nationals&catid=140

Required documents & "OTHER DOCUMENTS" they ask for at CFO: copies of; CENOMAR (CEMAR and marriage certificate if married), certified birth certificate, bio page of passport, visa page from passport, pictures together. From USC (copies of) - bio page of passport, birth certificate, divorce decree (if been married before) are the most common requests. The "other documents" clause can be ANYTHING with those nit-wits at CFO.

** From the Family Code of the Philippines: it's 21-25 years old for advice and 18-21 years old for consent. (Some are posted on VJ that they were not asked for this, yet others have been asked, so be prepared)

She lives like 3 hours away from Bacolod like in ricefield jungle town....

she lost her passport .. and inorder for her to get a new passport they need the cfo certficate. Is there anyway to get it in Bacolod??? Its really inhuman and unfair there going to make some handicapped lady go all the way to cebu or manila to attend a meeting.. especially when its first come first serve. they only benifit people in manila and cebu.

[Hank_ 9,174]

No. There are only two places for CFO one in Cebu, one in Manila. Addresses are listed on the CFO website.

[AdamandLulu 2]

Hi Rahstyles I'm from Negros also my place two hours travel going to Dumaguete....i went to cebu before to do my CFO Seminar and it's my first time to go there alone. I stay in Hotel that's near in CFO it's walking distance only ( 5 minutes walk from the hotel) the hotel is cheap. Here's the hotel name and address (Sampaguita Suites-Plaza Garcia) Plaza Garcia Building/ Magallanes St., Cebu City, Philippines. I do bus ride from my place early in the morning "BAYAWAN CITY" to CEBU via Bato, we stop in Dumaguete Bus Terminal to pick up some passenger, we stop Sibulan ride the boat to Bato Cebu (30 minutes only) from Bato Cebu to the main city 5 hour's trip from the Bus Terminal in Cebu city I ride Taxi going to the Hotel. If your fiancee gonna bring your daughter she need someone to go with her to assist during the seminar in CFO for your baby. Good Luck and this will help you.

[sjr09 155]

OP, change your Filed for: Naturalization (approved) to IR-1-CR-I

[Tahoma 2,292]

If your wife wants to change her name in her new passport, she will have to attend the CFO seminar. If she can't make the trip to Cebu or to Manila, then she could always get her new passport in her maiden name in Bacolod. She could change her passport to her married name once she gets to the U.S.

By the way, my wife Chinook is from Bacolod. Chinook has traveled to Cebu and back by bus. She's also flown there and back. It's really not dangerous at all. The flight from Bacolod to Cebu takes less than an hour.

[LSnBigBear 61]

Sorry about the inconvenience but this is something required. Trust me as all of us are tired of the red tape with the Philippines. You cannot do anything about it as they require it not the Embassy. I traveled from Negros and yes it sucks but she can do it. Filipinos are very resilient people. Good luck.

[Rahstyles 10]

Do you understand that my wife has to travel by buss for 2 hours to get to san carlos city.. then take a ferry to get to the next island.. then take another bus for 4 hours to get to cebu...?? Last time i was in cebu.. i almost got robbed by a taxi driver the first day i arrived..... Would you ever take a risk... losing your loved one... over some stupid cfo certificate??? There are many robbers and rappiest in the philipines... for god sakes.. they dont even have security on the bus rides... you can fall asleep and have your money.. phone .. purse. Even your virginity stolen.. in a blink of an eye.. no joke... Im really having a hard time with this... And i especially dont trust cebu enough for her to stay overnight in a hotel... sombody might hit on her or rape her in the hotel... Does anybody know the number to cfo manager?

I camt renew her old passport because she lost it... and in order to replace it they need a cfo cert.

I swear man... philipines.. requires a certificate for everything... If i learn how to wipe my butt in the philipines they probobly give me a certificate for that... doodooFO certificate... I know the first thing the philipines going to run out of.. INK for wasting it on bogus certificates.

Thats rediculous.. thats like me living in california.. having to go all the way to new york to take a 3 hour training class.. just to get my driverslicense.

I call straight up shinanigans! Goverments waisting there money on bogus classes.. that i bet nobody.. even cares about...

[Hank_ 9,174]

well you can rant... won't help.. but you can rant... then she still has to do CFO and get the certificate.

Best suggestion I have is to take the Filipina up on her offer to assist.